A feast for the eyes and the spirit.
A young girl reflects on her father’s memories of Haiti.
Lune loves hearing Daddy’s stories of his homeland. He tells funny tales about falling out of a mango tree, insightful tales about the medicine man who knew just what sickly children needed, and poignant tales of a young boy dreaming of a new life. But now Daddy works extra shifts so the family can save up for a new house and so Daddy can send money back to relatives in Haiti. Lune stays up extra late one night and sees Daddy as he’s coming back, and he tells her a story before sending her back to bed. The next morning, inspired, Lune resolves to tell her own stories. Suffused with color, each page teems with life and verve, weaving stories together across place and time. Many of the tales begin with “lakay” (Haitian Creole for “back home”) or “krik!” “krak!” Some are tinged with sorrow, as when Daddy recalls his own father’s garden, before Hurricane Flora washed away the vegetables and flowers that grew there. Though Lune has never been to Haiti herself, Casimir and Daley make clear that stories have the power to transport; as Lune says, “It’s like we’re looking in a mirror that takes both of us back home.” Readers who have deep roots in a familial homeland they’ve never visited will feel buoyed.
A feast for the eyes and the spirit. (glossary, author’s note for caregivers and parents, author’s note for kids) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9781536223200
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2024
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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